Molded pulp carton



Aug. 1, 1950 J. w. cox

MOLDED PULP CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. John W C096, MJMMW Original Filed Sept. 20, 1943 Patented Aug. 1, 1950 MOLDED PULP CARTQN John W. Cox, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Shellmar Products Corporation, Chicago, 111., ,a corporation oi Delaware Substituted for application Serial No. 503,029,

September 20, 1943. This application December 20, 1947, Serial No. 792,923. In Eanada May 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-2.5)

paper pulp. More particularly, it pertains to improvements in molded cellular cartons, which may be of either the two-by-six or three-by-four type, to be used for packaging eggs.

The present application is a substitute ior an earlier application, Serial No..503,029, filed September 20, 1943.

An object of the invention is to provide a cellular carton which may be molded integrally of paper pulp to afford a, compartmented receptacle with a cover hinged thereto and a reinforcing and locking member connected to a boundary wall of the receptacle and adapted to cooperate with a longitudinal wall of the hinged cover to loci: and hold the cover inclosed position and against horizontal displacement of the meeting wall portions and at the same time function as a reinforcing element for the free side wall of the cover and a longitudinal stiffening element for the carton, all this without encroachment on the egg-housing space and within an area of such form and dimensions as to permit the cartons to be packed properly, thirty to a case, in standard egg cases of thirty-dozen capacity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cellular egg carton which may be molded into grally of paper pulp with a cover hinged to a compartmented receptacle and with provision for ilrm support of the free cover walls upon seats of liberal area disposed entirely inwardly from the outer confines or marginal bounding walls of the receptacle, and to provide for secure retention of the cover in this position by a locking flange molded as a lateral extension on a wall of the receptacle and adapted to be bent out of its normal plane to a position entirely within the area circumscribed by the boundary walls of the reeeptaicle.

Other objects of the invention will be evident upon a consideration of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing,inwhicl1:

Fig. l is a top plan view 01 a cellular molded pulp carton embodying the present invention shown with the cover in open position;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view illustrating the carton of Fig. 1 with the cover' swung toward closed position; i V I Fig. 3 is a front elevational view or the same in closed and locked position;

Fig. 4 is an end elevationalviewof a closed and locked carton with a cover wall portion and locking strip section,

Fig. 5 is a view similar-to Fig. 3 illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross section, taken along line li-G of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 shows a further modification of the embodiment depicted in Figs. 3 and 5;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross section taken along line 8-8 of Fig. '7; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of still another modification contemplated by the present inven- In Fig. l of the drawings there is illustrated a molded paper pulp carton comprising a receptacle designated generally by numeral I0 and a cover designated generally by H. The receptacle is compartmented to afford a two-by-six arrangement of cells of octagonal shape. These cells are in part formed by a series of centrally located, upstanding, hollow members I! molded on the receptacle bottom, and in part by longitudinal partition elements [3 connecting adjacent members [2, and transverse partition elements [4 connecting the members 12 and the front and rear walls of the carton respectively. The outer sides of the cells are formed by the upwardly and outwardly extending boundary sections l5 and the diagonally related wall sections l6 at each side thereof. The upstanding members 12 together with these wall sections l5 and I6 and partition elements I3 and M define two longitudinal rows of egg-receiving compartments in the receptacle ill.

The cover H has plane side walls H and end walls it with oblique corner panels l9, all converging toward and connected by a top panel, and at their margins giving the cover a width and length corresponding to those dimensions of the receptacle. One of the side walls of the cover is hinged at its margin to one side of the receptacle so as to swing to covering relationship with the receptacle, and to facilitate the swineing or hinging action, acrease or external scoring may be provided along the line 2|]. The opposite or free side wall I! of the cover affords locking points or a connecting area, and for that purpose may be provided with lock slots 2| therein. The cover locking member is in the form of a flange 22 extending continuously for a major portion of thecontainers length and molded integrally with the upper margin", of the receptacle wall opposite the hinge 20. This locking flange is flexible upwardly and inwardly on a hinge line 23 which may be pro-formed by a crease or external scoring. I The flange 22 is provided'at its ends withlocking tabs. having hooking edges adapted to pass through the slots 23 of the cover wall I! and retentively interlock with it at the ends of said slots.

Bridging the re-entrant areas between the adjacent oblique wall sections ii at the sides and ends of the receptacle are triangular shaped abutments or gussets 25 which are positioned entirely inwardly from the outer confines or lines of the boundary wall sections l of the receptacle and are molded integrally with the upper margins of said wall sections and lie in the same plane with said margins. The carton cover, when closed upon the receptacle by swinging on the hinge line 20, will come to rest with the margins of the cover side andend walls seating upon corresponding marginal portions of the receptacle side and end boundary walls and upon the gussets 25, where they will be strongly sustained and supported against crushing pressures and also supported by the gussets against overlapping the inner surfaces of the boundary wall sections l5.

To secure the cover in closed position, the locking flange 22 is first swung upwardly far enough to permit insertion of its locking tabs 24 into the apertures 2|, and then is pressed inwardly into abutment with the cover side wall IT to force the tabs 24 home and into interlocking engagement with said side wall. Preferably the lock slots 2| are located so that the locking tabs will be positioned between adjacent eggs.

It should be noted particularly that since the cover locking flange is integral with the receptacle wall and extends angularly therefrom, the

carton is effectively stiffened along nearly the entire length of the joint when the flange is bent up and locked to the cover. The cover edge cannot be displaced outwardly from gussets 25 because it is stopped by the locking flange, and the latter reinforces the cover wall against buckling under vertical pressure. Consequently, a secure lock and suitable rigid construction is thereby provided.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, it will be seen that the principles of the present invention have been embodied in a somewhat different construction. Here the locking flange gives a full length cover retainer and reinforcement which can carry more printing than the previous modification and gives an unbroken appearance because locking tabs l 24 are bent inwardly along the beveled portions I I9, being received and interlocked with the cover wall through suitable lock slots l2l.

It should be observed that the locking strip in either modification can easily be printed because it is flat or plane and presents an excellent surface upon which roller printing elements may be operated either manually or automatically to print, grade, size, etc., as the cartons emerge from the egg candling room on conveyors.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a further modification. In Fig. '7 a locking flange 222, which is hinged on the receptacle, extends the entire length of the cover side wall and has tongues 224 formed in it. The carton can be locked by pressing the tongues inwardly, inserting them in slots 22l in the cover wall, releasing them, and pressing the flange to final position against the cover wall. Since the flange is flexible, it may be distorted into position for locking. Its natural spring will cause it to return to straightened position.

Referring now to the modification illustrated by the perspective view, Fig. 9, it will be seen that the flange 322 is hinged on the receptacle and when swung up is adhesively secured to the wall of the cover. By applying a suitable thermoplastic adhesive 26 in predetermined locations or stripes on the inner face of this flange, the carton can be closed very easily in an egg room merely by passing it through an automatic closer with a heated pressure member bearing against the back of the rip-folded flange 322 to activate the adhesive.

All of the illustrated cartons have many advantages. The locking flange which is integral with the receptacle wall provides desirable stiflness and rigidity and security of support for the cover and, because of these features, it is possible to dispense with cover support in the center of the cartons.

Another advantage is that these cartons can be made divisible in accordance with another invention set forth in my copending application filed October 23, 1942, Serial No. 463,106, new Patent No. 2,455,295.

It will readily be seen that by following what is taught by the present invention there can be provided a molded paper pulp egg carton having self-contained locking features yet which is simple and sturdy and durable, easily printed, attractive in appearance and otherwise well suited to the purposes for which it is intended.

The ridge-like or rib-like bracing action which is brought about by the oblique folding of flange 22 around the meeting line of the carton sections and into side-by-side contact with the wall l1, results in a highly desirable stiffening of the carton. A raised rib extends longitudinally of the latter, greatly increasing its resistance to lateral distortion or collapse. This rib extends a major portion of the length of the sections.

The thus ribbed locking flange also receives the coaction of the cover section end walls l8 in sustaining transverse stresses, said end walls effectively preventing vertical buckling under such transverse loads, as would occur in the absence of connecting end walls. Such buckling, it will be appreciated, would entirely negative the function of the longitudinal rib or ridge along the hinge line 23, deflned by the folding over of the flange-like locking means 22.

It will be recognized that many changes may be made in the illustrative embodiments as herein described without departing from' the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cellular egg carton, comprising generally rectangular molded fibrous top and bottom sections having pairs of end and side walls and being hingedly connected to one another along adjacent side walls, the side walls of said sections opposite the hinged connection meeting at an oblique outward angle in the closed position of the sections, one of said last named side walls having planar, integrally molded locking flange mean bendably connected thereto and normally extending at a laterally outwardly divergent angle with reference to said sections in said closed position thereof, said flange means being vertically swingable externally around the section meeting line and into face contacting engagement with the exterior of the other section, the flange means extending a major portion of the length of the section thus engaged to define a rigidifying and bracing rib-like formation along said meeting line which is resistant to transverse collapsing forces, the end walls of said sections being integrally connected to and extending between the respective side walls thereof to brace the sections against buckling under said forces, and means for securing said flange means in said engaged relation to said other section.

2. An elongated molded pulp carton, comprising a bottom section having upwardly and outwardly sloping sides, at least one cover supporting shoulder and end walls connecting the sides, a cover section connected to one side of said bottom section, said cover section having outwardly and downwardly extending sides and end walls connecting the same, the margins of said bottom and cover section sides and end walls being abuttingly engageable along a meeting line in the closed position of the sections and one of the cover section sides being positionable adjacent said shoulder in the closed position of the sections to provide vertical support for said cover section, flange means hinged to one of said sec tions along one longitudinal margin of a side thereof, said flange means normally extending from the side of the section to which it is hinged at a laterally outward angle relative to the sections, in said closed position thereof, and longitudinally of the section to which it is hinged a major portion of the length thereof, said flange means in operative position being bent over in outwardly encompassing relation with respect to said meeting line to an inwardly extending position adjacent the outwardly extending side of said other section to thereby define a longitudinal rib-like reinforcing ridge parallel to the section meeting line, and being in parallel abutting relation with said other section throughout a major portion of the length of the flange means, the end walls of said sections being connected to said section sides and coasting with said ridge in resisting collapse of the sections under trans verse forces, and means integral with said flange means for securing the latter in said inwardly extending position to said other section.

3. A molded pulp carton comprising a bottom section including a row of longitudinally arranged cells, a cover section integrally connected to the bottom section by a hinge along one longitudinal side thereof, said bottom and cover sections having walls opposite said hinge engageabie at an oblique outward angle at a meeting line common to the planes of the respective walls and terminating substantially in said line in the closed position of the sections, planar, longitudinally extending, cover locking flange means integrally hinged to one of said walls, said flange means normally extending from the wall to which it is hinged at an outwardly divergent angle relative to the sections in said closed position thereof, and being bendable over in outwardly encompassing relation to the meeting line of said walls to a position adiacent the side of the other wall, to thereby define a longitudinally extending, rib-like reinforcing portion along the meeting line of said walls serving to resist distortion under transverse forces, said portion extending a major part of the length of the sections and said flange means being secured to said other section, said bottom and cover sections having end walls integral with said first named walls and disposed at an angle thereto to brace the respective bottom and cover sections against transverse buckling under said forces.

4. A cellular egg carton, comprising molded fibrous top and bottom sections each having a pair of end and side walls and being hingedly connected to one another along adjacent side walls, the side walls of said sections opposite the hinged connection meeting at an oblique outward angle in the closed position of the sections, one of said last named side walls having planar, integrally molded flange means bendably connected thereto and normally extending at a laterally outwardly divergent angle with reference to said sections in said closed position thereof, said flange means being vertically swingable around the section meeting line and into contacting engagement with the other section, the flange means extending a major portion of the length of the section thus engaged to define a rigiditying and bracing rib-like formation along said meeting line which is resistant to vertical and transverse collapsing forces, the end walls of said sections being integrally connected to and extending between the respective side walls thereof to brace the sections against buckling under said forces, and inter-engaging means on the top and bottom sections for maintaining said flange means in said engaged relation to said other section.

JOHN W. COX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,982,804 Risk Oct. 311, 1933 1,980,851 Crawford Nov. 113, 1934 2,285,129 7 Schwartzberg June 2, 1942 2,306,915 Btapleton Dec. 29, 1942 2,341,845 Mark at al. Feb. 115, 1944 2,344,008 Trogman Mar. 14, 1944 

